


Dreams of Pygmalion

by bijective



Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Ancient Greek Religion & Lore Fusion, Alternate Universe - Hindu Mythology Fusion, Alternate Universe - Mythology, M/M, Mythology - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-14
Updated: 2020-09-14
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:28:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26461183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bijective/pseuds/bijective
Summary: Mythology AU! Yusuf is a sculpturer, Nicolo is a writer. They get in trouble with the Goddess of Snakes Kozak.Based on this: https://flickst.tumblr.com/post/629179445000945664/%CA%96-an-au-of-sort
Relationships: Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova
Comments: 4
Kudos: 38





	Dreams of Pygmalion

**Author's Note:**

> Brief Character Death but a Happy Ending.

Maleth.

The beautiful island halfway between Carthage and Stalia. 

There Yusuf and Nicolo had met, both arriving at Valletta in pursuance of sculpturing and writing respectively. 

Nicolo had arrived on a ship carrying the pure white marble from the hills of Carrara. 

Yusuf had arrived on a ship with barrels full of squid ink, _sepia_ , fished out from the coast of Bizerte.

They both thought it was incredibly poetic.

Over the decade they spent time together.

Over time both of them became respectable artists in their own fields.

*****

One day on a beautiful summer morning, Yusuf and Nicolo sat next to each other on a piece of canvas in a meadow sharing figs and honey, cheese and bread. 

Suddenly a woman appeared before them. With hair of gold and both eyes of sky. 

“You there, you are Yusuf are you not, the most famous carver of Maleth.”

“Yes, who might you be?”

“I am the Goddess of Snakes, Kozak. I command that you make a statue in my honour so that I may be worshipped by all of Maleth. And, I command you Nicolo to write down the right way to pray to me.” She replied haughtily.

Everyone knew that Kozak, the Goddess of Snakes had very little power despite being born when a drop of Hera’s blood had fallen on an olive leaf.

“I would have gladly done so, had you asked politely. Also, with the same hands that I offer prayers to the Muses why should I worship you?”

“You would deny the words of Hera.”

“If Hera wanted you to have powers she would have given them to you.” Replied Nicolo.

“For this insult you will die. Ten nights from now as you lay in bed with your husband I shall poison him to death. Your hubris shall be your downfall.”

With these words, the Goddess turns into a snake and vanishes.

****

A bit jarred, Yusuf and Nicolo decides to find Sebastien the blacksmith and asks him to build an armoured room for them to sleep in.

“Give me nine days”

As Sebastien was finishing the room, his youngest son called out to him.

“Father!” The child cried in a fear soaked voice.

Sebastien gasped. His son was wrapped around by a giant hydra. 

“If you wish for your son to live, leave a small gap for me to slip in.” Kozak commanded.

Fearful of his son’s life he agreed.

***

On the tenth night, Yusuf and Nicolo laid on bed together secure in the knowledge that they safe.

On the eleventh morn, Yusuf discovers Nicolo dead.

***

“Mother, mother, what do I do now?” Kozak beseeched Hera.

“Did I not tell you to poison him with the Venom of Sleep?”

“I did do it! The idiot carver Yusuf, placed him on a funeral pyre with two coins for Charon.”

Hera hrmmphed. When Kozak had been a child she had insulted Hestia. Insulted by her, the usually mild mannered goddess had cursed her not to be worshipped until a carver crafted a statue in her honour and a writer wrote down her story. 

“Quit your complaints. You will have to ask the favour of Hades.”

***

Yusuf cried as he carved into marble his beloved Nicolo.

Every night he spent sobbing at the statue’s feet.

Until one night Sebastien arrived, begging him for forgiveness.

“Please Yusuf, forgive me!”

“How could you?!” He screamed. Enraged he threw his hammer at Sebastien. When he ducked, the hammer hit Nicolo’s statue breaking the left arm. 

“No…No…” 

“Yusuf…”

“Leave.” Yusuf said burying his face on the statue’s shoulder, tears running down his cheeks.

***

Sebastien goes to meet the priestess of Persephone and priestess of Aphrodite, Quynh and Andromache, hoping to put things right.

“We shall pray.” They promise, but they also warn “We don’t know if they will agree to help.”

“Please try.”

***

Kozak goes first to Persephone and then to Aphrodite.

“This is your mess, had you asked politely none of this would have happened.” Said Persephone.

“Aaah, but they should not insult us Goddesses either.” Argued Aphrodite.

“Will you help?”

“You know I can’t resist a sweet love story.” Replied Aphrodite.

“Well neither can I.” Said Persephone.

“Bring me the honey of the Edelweiss.” Said Aphrodite.

“Bring me the bones of the Tarasque.” Said Persephone.

***

So Kozak set out on a quest.

First she found Apollo’s student Lykos. For the honey of Edelweiss she exchanged the Venom of Healing.

Then she found Artemis’s huntress Nile. For the bones of the Tarasque she exchanged the Venom of Death.

***

Yusuf didn’t know how long had passed but the Goddess Kozak and Sebastien appeared before him.

“I came with an offer of peace.” Said Kozak.

“All my peace is gone now.”

“If you bring this perfect statue you have wrought to Aphrodite and Persephone, they will restore life to him.”

“The arm? I have to fix it.”

Sebastien showed to him an arm wrought from the finest silver and gold. “I apologise for my betrayal.”

“Do not blame him. I told him that I would kill his son otherwise.” Said Kozak, “I actually gave your husband the Venom of Sleep. I didn’t realise that you would do the funerary rites so quickly.”

Yusuf glared at her for a moment and then said “Let us go then.”

At the steps of the temple Persephone and Aphrodite breathed life back into Nicolo.

“Yusuf?” Nicolo whispered in Yusuf’s arms.

“Nicolo! You’re alive.”

“Yusuf my love what happened?”

As Yusuf narrated the entire tale Nicolo’s frown deepened. Knowing that they both had the favour of Persephone and Aphrodite the glared at the Snake Goddess.

“You know, I would promise you that none in your family or any of their descendants will ever have to fear snakes. If only I was worshipped across Maleth.” Said Kozak.

“Alright.” Said Yusuf and Nicolo, knowing that they had no choice.

However they had their revenge when Nicolo wrote down the whole petty story and Yusuf only carved a snake. From then on Kozak became worshipped as the Goddess of Snakes, worshipped only as a snake statue and only when needed.

**Author's Note:**

> * This is primarily based on the Pygmalion and Galatea mythology. However the plot beats are adapted from the mythology of the Hindu Goddess of Snakes, Mansa. The actual story with Mansa is a bit different. If anyone wants to know, I can post it as a second chapter.
> 
> * I made Andromache a priestess of Aphrodite because Aphrodite was worshipped in Sparta as both the Goddess of Love and War. So I think it fits.
> 
> * I tried to make it historically accurate with names, but then I remembered that I passed history by memorising so I gave up.
> 
> * I know Hinduism is a living religion. I happened to grow up in a Hindu household. So chill...


End file.
